Process of obtaining potash from feldspar.



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f UNITED STATES, PATENT onmon. I

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To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns M, NEIL, of Toronto, in the county of .York,Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes method of treating feldspar, leucite, and

other. minerals containing potash, to obtain: the potash therefrom forcommercial uses;v

and also the alumina and silica-therein.

Theprocess in brief consists essentially 1n (1.) fusing the crudefeldspar, leucite or other.imineral containing potash; (2) convertingthe constituents of the fused mineral into their relative soluble andinsoluble compounds; (3) dissolving such soluble com Q pounds; l)separating the insoluble compounds from the soluble compounds; (5)precipitating the alumina and iron in the remaining solution; (6)separating the alumine and iron precipitates from the solution; .(7)recovering the ammonia in the soelution; (.8) separating the calciumfrom the.

' remaining solution; and (9) evaporating the residual liquor to. obtainthe potash therein.

The process is particularly suitable for treating feldspar and leucite,and I will describe the invention as employed in operating thereon torecover the potash. therein; but? the process is applicable to otherminerals containing potash, and I do not consider it restricted tofeldspar or leucite alone. Feldspar contains approximately from 3% to 16l of potash; 5% to 27% of alumina; to of silica; and varying smallpercent.

ages of lime, magnesia, soda, iron, etc.

In the practical operation of the invention crude feldspar. is reducedby crushing or grinding machines after which it is fused in,

a suitable'furnaee.- On account of the ex- 5 cessively high fusing pointof crude feldspar it has heretofore been considered commerciallyimpracticable to fuse the same; butl have discovered that thefusingpoint I, of feldspa-r can be lowered to a practical 9workingipoint, by the use of a'sulfate or bisulfate of an alkali metal,and this discovery: is-an". important feature of my recess.- In!utilizing thisdisc'overy I prefera ly place in ,a, suitablejfurnaceaquantity of a sulfate.

li a 9 an. alkali metal and. bring:

- Speoiacafion of Letters Patent. Application filed October 17, 1911.Serial No; 655,213.

full, 1

Patented July 30,1912.

H .sameto a state of fusiongthen I gradually add crude crushed feldspar,which is brought into a state offusion at a much lower temperature thanthe normal fusing pointzof feldspar when treated alone;

The amount of the sulfate or bi-sulfate of an alkali metal required willvary accordor bi-sulfate would ordinarily be suflicient for use inconnection with common feldspar. I do not however restrict myself to theproportions named, because .as statedthese will be varied according tothe physical composition of the mineral being treated and the amount ofmaterial. which the furnace is on continuously, if desired, by addingasrequired suilicientof the sulfate orbhsulfate of an alkali metal tothefurnaoe with the feldspar to'maintain the .fusingrpoint at thedesired temperature When a sulfate of an alkali metal is used in theinitial step of the process I may subject the'molte'n mass to the actionof a gaseous sulfur compound containing oxygen, such as sulfur .dioxidgas, in order to reduoethe potash and alumina thereinto theirrespectivesulfates and sullites. The said gas may be passed through themolten mass until the potash, alumina, etc, have been converted intotheir relative sulfates and sulfitesi The chemical subjecting the moltenmass to the action of oxygen (in the -form of steam, or air, orhethlywhich is preferably passed through the molten, mass along with thesulfur dioxid gas; l prefer' to superheat. .the' steam and air beforepassing them through 'the with" the oxid of potassium and oxid 'ofalumina, etc.,- present in the crude fused feldsparthereby formingsulfites of the respect1ve elements; andthese SHlfltES are then theoxygenin the steam or air. Instead of passing the. gasesthroughythemolten mass as aforesaim-the latter may ,be agitated in anatmosphere containing sulfur dioxid zl n We n, (st no s where revolvingfurnaces are employed. 911ithe feldspar 11S ingto the physicalcomposition of the feldspar, but from 10% to%% of siphusulfate designedto handle. Afterthe operatibn of fusing has been commenced it can becarried reactions may be greatly accelerated by also a molten mass.Thesulfur .dioxid. combines stead .of subjepftling the molten mass, when4 uxed by means ofpotassium sulfoifilm' hisulfgtefto the action-ofsulfur ;1;1c

10o oonvertedinto sulfates by combining with I" is sion in the solution.

. dioxid and gases containing oxygen, I preferably subject the moltenfeldspar to the action of ".sulfur-tri-oxid gas until all the rpotash',aluminafeto, have been converted into their corresponding sulfates. The.sul-

fur-tri-oxid gas may be introduced into the molten mass 1n the mannersuggested for the. treatment thereof by the sulfur dioxid; or in anyothersuitable .method. \A combina- 'tion' of a sulfate and ,bi-sulfateof alkali,

metals may be used to reduce the fusion point of the feldspar; theaction of suchsul fate and such bi-sulfate being that of'a vent for thefeldspar.

After the molten mineral has been A preferable and-economical manner ofdobig so islto pour'the mass of molten mineral into a tank or receptaclecontaining water. When such' molten mass .is 'discharged into the waterthe-soluble compounds are dissolved, while the silica and,

other insoluble matters remain in suspen- I then'separate the silica-andinsoluble compounds from the solution by decantat-ion or preferably byfiltration. The insoluble compounds after being separated from thesoluble compounds.

will be found to consist almost entirely of silica in a fine state ofsubdivision, and in such a condition that it canbe usefully employed inthe arts. The liquor containing the soluble compounds is then treated byany well known metho in order to precipitate the alumina. and iron. Imay effect such precipitation by adding ,to-t-he solution an alkalihydrate, preferably ammonium hydrate, but I prefer to pass ammonia gasthrough the liquor in s ufiicient quantity to precipitate all ofthealumina and iron therein. The precipitated alumina and iron is thenseparated by decantation, or filtra-' tion from the liquor. which nowcontains ammonia as well as sulfate of potash, with traces of magnesiaand soda, varying according to the constituentsof the original mineralbeing treated. I now add to the 1 liquor sufficient milk of lime toliberate the ammonia, which may be done in any of the well knownapparatus used in the arts for such purposes. Afterliberuting the ammoconverted into a mass ,of soluble and insoluble compounds as abovedescribed. the soluble compounds may be separated from'the in-' soluble,compounds inuany suitable manner.

' fur compounds into their respective sulfate compounds; If nosuch-lower sulfur com-5 pounds be found in the residual liquor, or afterthe same have been converted into sulfates as above described, theliquor is finally evaporated and the sulfate of potash recovered.

Bythis process practically all of thepotash contained in' the originalfeldspar 'or other mineral is recovered. Such lpotash may contain moreor less traces of magnesia, soda a-11d other soluble impurities whichSuch iimpurities may however be separated from the potash by furthertreatment; but

contained in the' original mineral.

unless they are present in sufiicient quantities to affect ,thecommercial value of the potash, it is unnecessary to do so.

What I claim is: 1. The'process of'obtaining potash from minerals,consisting in fusing a sulfate of an alkali metal; adding theretoa'mineral containing potash and melting same.

2. The'process oftreating minerals con- .taining potash to obtain thevaluable constituents thereof; consisting in meltin the mineral togetherwith a sulfate-of an a kali metal; and subjecting the molten mass in thepresence of steam or air to. the action of a gaseous sulfur compoundcontaining oxygen.

3. The process of obtaining potash from minerals, consisting in fusing asulfate of an alkali metal; adding thereto a mineral con' taining potashand melting same; and subjecting the molten mass in the presence ofsteam or air to the actionof-a gaseous sulfur compound containingoxygen. 4

4. The process of treating minerals containing potash to reducethe'valuable constituents thereof to sulfates; consisting in melting theminerals .in the presence of a sulfate of an alkali metal; subjectingthe molten mass in the presenceof steam or air to the action of agaseous sulfur compound containing oxygen; and subsequently separatingthe soluble from the insoluble mat ter s.

5.'The process of treating minerals containing potash. consisting insubjecting the minerals mixed with sulfate of potash to sufficient heatto melt the mass subjecting the molten mass to the action of a gaseoussulfur compound containing oxygen in the presence of steam or air; andsubjecting such molten mass to water to separate the soluble andinsoluble compounds.

6. The process of obtaining potash from minerals, consisting in fusing asulfate of an alkali metal; adding thereto a mineral containing potashand melting same: subjecting the molten massin the presence of steam orair to the action of a gaseous sul fur compound containing oxygen; andsubsequently separating the soluble from the insoluble matters andrecovering the potash from the soluble matters. 4

7. The process of obtaining potash from minerals, consisting in fusing asulfate of 5 an alkali'metal; adding thereto a mineral containing potashand melting same; sub .jecting the inolten mass in the presence of steamor air to the action of a gaseous sulfur compound containing oxygen;discharging the molten mass thus treated into water; and subsequentlyseparating the -soluble from the insoluble compound and recovering thepotash from the soluble compound. 8. The herein described processoftreating feldspar and other minerals containing potash, consisting infusing the minerals; converting the soluble components of .the fusedminerals into sulfates; dissolvin the soluble compounds; separating theinso uble compounds from the soluble compounds; separating the aluminaand iron from the soluble compounds by means of ammonia;

' separating the ammonia from the solution by means of calcium hydrate;separating the calcium components from the solution; and finallyevaporating the residual liquor to obtain the potash.

9. The process of obtaining potash from feldspar and other mineralscontaining potash, consisting in fusing the crude minerals mixed with asulfate of an alkali metal; converting the fused mass into its severalsoluble and insoluble compounds; dissolving the soluble compounds bydischarging the molten mass into water; separating the insolublecompounds from the solution; precipitating and separating the aluminaand iron from the remaining solution of soluble compounds; and finallyrecovering the potash from the residual liquor.

10. The process of obtaining potash from feldspar and other mineralscontaining potash, consisting in fusing the minerals mixed with asulfate of an alkali metal; converting the fused mass into its solubleand insoluble compounds; discharging the molten mass into water todissolvethe soluble com-e pounds; separating the insoluble compoundsfrom the solution; precipitating the alumina and iron in the remainingsolution by means of ammonia; and separating the precipitates therefrom,and separating the potash from the solution. 11. The process ofobtaining potash from feldspar and other minerals containing p'otash,consisting in fusing the crude minerals mixed with a sulfate of analkali metal converting the fused mass into its several soluble andinsoluble compounds; dissolving the solublecompounds bydischarging themolten mass into water; separating the insoluble compounds;precipitating the alumina and iron in the remaining solution by means ofammonia; separating the precipitates from the solution; recovering theammonia in the solution b means of lime;

separating the calcium rom the solution; and finally evaporating theresidual liquor to obtain potash.

12. The process of obtaining potash from feldspar and other mineralscontaining potash, consisting in fusingthe crude minerals mixed with analkaline substance containing. sulfur; converting the fused mass intoits several soluble and insoluble compounds by subjectingsame to theaction of sulfur-trioxi'd; dissolving the soluble compounds; separatingthe insoluble compounds from the, solution, and recovering the potashfrom the residual liquor.

13. The process of obtaining potash from feldspar and other inineralscontaining potash, consisting in fusing the crude. minerals 1, mixedwith an alkaline substancecontain ing sulfur; convertin the fused massinto; its several soluble an insoluble compounds by subjecting the fusedmass to the action of sulfur-tri-orid; dissolving the soluble compoundsby discharging the -molten mass into water; separating the insoluble J0compounds fromthe solution; recipitating I the alumina and iron containein t e solution, separating the precipitates from the solution, and afinally recovering the potash from the residualliquor. v

14. The process of obtaining potash from feldspar and other mineralscontaining potash, consisting in fusing the crude minerals mixed with analkaline. substance containing sulfur; converting the fused mass into100 its several soluble and insoluble compoi ds by'subjecting the fusedmass to the action 'of sulfur-tri-oxid; dissolving the soluble compoundsby discharging the molten mass into water; separating the insolublecom-i105 pounds from the solut on; precipitating the alumina and ironcontained in the solution hynueans of ammonia; separating theprecipitates from the solution; recovering the ammonia in the solutionby means of lime;

separating the calcium from the solution; and finally evaporating theresidual liquor to obtain potash. v i

1 In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aflix mysignature in presence a of two witnesses.

\ JAMES MILLAR NEIL.

Witnessesr I JOHN H.-Smonns, An'rirun E. Down.

